...The fire crackled between them, throwing orange sparks into the dark like it was trying to fill the silence for them. Chelsea finally broke first.

“You play pretty good.” she muttered, eyes half on the flames. “And you look… cool with the guitar. Fits you.”

Iris blinked at her, unimpressed. “That’s it? No slow clap? No standing ovation?”

Chelsea just shrugged and chucked another branch into the fire. “Compliments aren’t really my thing.”

“Neither is smiling.” Iris shot back. “Have you even smiled since...?”

“Nope.” Chelsea cut her off, flat and cold. “And I’m not talking about it.”

The night slipped quiet again. Iris chewed her lip, then finally pushed her guitar aside and leaned a little closer. “Hey… the stars look insane tonight. Kinda nice, the two of us out here alone. Feels like we’re in one of those movies about rebellious teenagers sneaking off into the woods.”

Chelsea let out a short, humorless laugh. “That’s one way to describe a camping.”

“I mean…” Iris hesitated, cheeks warming. “It would be romantic. If we kissed right now.”

And then everything froze. Iris peeked at the girl, waiting for anything. A flinch, blush, scoff, eye-roll, at least. But Chelsea stayed statue-still, face unreadable.

"God, why did I say that?" Iris panicked internally. "She definitely not into me. Please tell me she didn’t hear that. Please, please..."